In order to obtain informative images with regard to body parts of a human or animal, for example for orthopedics or traumatology, it is common to take for example two recordings of a body region, i.e. for instance an anatomical structure, using an x-ray apparatus.
The at least two x-ray recordings are obtained by spatially displacing the x-ray apparatus relative to the region of the patient to be recorded.
Multiple recordings are then usually imaged on two separate monitors. One very common configuration is a mobile x-ray apparatus, also referred to as a “C-arm”, in conjunction with two monitors, wherein a current image is displayed on one monitor, and any previously recorded image of the body region of interest, which can be replaced with the current image at any time, is displayed on another monitor. One problem with this is that the images do not have a defined orientation, scaled relationship or the like with respect to each other, i.e. the displayed images may be tilted in any spatial directions with respect to each other, and joining the images to each other or displaying them to the same scale is not systematically possible.
FIG. 3 depicts an anatomical structure—in this case, a femur—which has been recorded in two recordings using a C-arm, at different positions along a patient's body. These two recordings or x-ray images of the anatomical structure are displayed on two monitors of the C-arm. As can be seen, the portions of the anatomical structure in accordance with FIG. 1 a as displayed on the different monitors have different alignments and image magnifications, as can be seen from FIG. 3. A reproducible and realistic orientation is not possible on the basis of this screen content in accordance with FIG. 3.
FIG. 8b depicts an anatomical structure—in this case, a hip bone—which has been recorded in two recordings using a C-arm, at different positions along a patient's body. These two recordings or x-ray images of the anatomical structure are displayed on two monitors of the C-arm. As can be seen, the portions of the anatomical structure in accordance with FIG. 8a as displayed on the different monitors have different alignments and image magnifications, as can be seen from FIG. 8b. A reproducible and realistic orientation is not possible on the basis of this screen content in accordance with FIG. 8b. 